The Cryosphere
The Cryosphere
TC
Articles | Volume 17, issue 12
Articles | Volume 17, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5075-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5075-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 17, issue 12
Research article
 | 
30 Nov 2023
Research article |  | 30 Nov 2023

Observed and modeled moulin heads in the Pâkitsoq region of Greenland suggest subglacial channel network effects

Celia Trunz, Kristin Poinar, Lauren C. Andrews, Matthew D. Covington, Jessica Mejia, Jason Gulley, and Victoria Siegel

Data sets

Supraglacial stream discharge measurements from six catchments within the Pâqitsoq region of Sermeq Avannarleq, western Greenland Ice Sheet 2017 -2018 Celia Trunz, Jessica Mejia, Matthew Covington, Victoria Siegel, Brandon Conlon, and Jason Gulley https://doi.org/10.18739/A2D21RK53

Moulin hydrological measurements from Sermeq Avannarleq, West Greenland Ice Sheet from 2017-2018 Jessica Mejia, Celia Trunz, Matthew Covington, Jason Gulley, and Charles Breithaupt https://doi.org/10.18739/A2M03XZ13

Meteorological data from two on-ice weather stations at 780 and 950 m asl elevations in the ablation area of Sermeq Avannarleq, West Greenland from 2017-2018 Jessica Mejia, Trunz, Matthew Covington, and Jason Gulley https://doi.org/10.18739/A2CF9J745

Model code and software

cctrunz/ModelRepo_pyMouShBaseflow_paper: Initial code for submission (v1.0.0) Celia Trunz and Jessica Mejia https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7058365

kpoinar/moulin-physical-model: Moulin Shape model for The Cryosphere article, 2022 (MouSh-v1.0) Lauren Andrews, Celia Trunz, and Kristin Poinar https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6585291

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Short summary
Models simulating water pressure variations at the bottom of glaciers must use large storage parameters to produce realistic results. Whether that storage occurs englacially (in moulins) or subglacially is a matter of debate. Here, we directly simulate moulin volume to constrain the storage there. We find it is not enough. Instead, subglacial processes, including basal melt and input from upstream moulins, must be responsible for stabilizing these water pressure fluctuations.
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